Talking Moths

Steve Walter swalter15 at verizon.net
Sun Oct 3 17:17:43 EDT 2010


A friend of mine who's into botany believes that the bush / flowers in question are Eupatoriums (Thoroughworts). There are many similar species, a number of which he has seen at FBF. That makes sense. I recall Eupatoriums as big butterfly magnets in the south.

Steve



From: Steve Walter 
Sent: Thursday, September 30, 2010 7:51 PM
To: CTLEPS-L at lists.yale.edu 
Subject: Talking Moths


Not much gets said about moths here anymore. It won't often come from me, as I do less than 5 percent of my mothing in CT. But last night's outing in NY was one of the most interesting nights I've ever had, and there are some aspects that could be of wider interest. The location was Floyd Bennet Field (FBF), Brooklyn. Along with Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, it is one of my Jamaica Bay survey sites.

-- I suddenly had an explosion of activity at baited trees. Typically, that's winding down by late September (underwings are done, for one thing). I had been to FBF 5 days earlier and there was no inkling that this was coming.

-- I stumbled into a bush that I wasn't familiar with. It had numerous clusters of small white flowers. Obviously, I need to find out what species it is. But it was loaded with moths, both in numbers and variety. I'd really like to know how it is for butterflies, but not sure that I'll get a chance to find out.

-- A big reason for the numbers in both situations above was an irruption, the likes of which I've never seen before, of the Noctuid genus Spodoptera. This included scores of Yellow-striped, Fall, and Beet Armyworm Moths. Topping it off was the prize -- a Spodoptera dolichos, my second Jamaica Bay record in 10 years of this denizen of the deep south. 

-- A few years ago, I really looked forward to trips to FBF during "September Southern Stray Season". It seemed like every night had a surprise or two or more. That magic had seemed to have worn off in recent years. But last night, it seemed that the door had been opened. In addition to the Dolichos, I recorded the first Jamaica Bay record of Pickelworm Moth (a Pyralid), a Velvetbean Caterpillar Moth (a large Noctuid with a number of fall records), 3 Somber Carpets (a Geometer with a handful of records here), Smoky Tetanolita, Dot-lined White (southern, but probably resident here), and Leucania adjuta (Noctuid). Also, 2 Noctuids that are not familiar to me, so they could be additions to the Jamaica Bay list.

-- Overall, I certainly must have had a personal best for the most species and individuals on a fall night. Among species in record numbers was Spotted Beet Webworm Moth. This is probably another southerner, but seems to be here most years in late summer and fall. Typically, I might get one a night. Last night, at least 15 were encountered.

-- A note for those of you that do your lepping only in the daytime. Whereas all resident butterfly species have had their flights already, there are many moths that are just emerging for the first time in September or October (even a couple after that). 

Sorry if anyone needed Latin or English names for any of the species mentioned. I don't have memorized many of the Latin names and it took enough of my time putting this together.

Steve Walter

Bayside, NY
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